Dr. Michael Ast, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Ast
Dr. Michael Ast is an orthopedic surgery specialist in Paramus, NJ, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Ast performed 1,642 Medicare services in 2023. These records do not provide a deduplicated patient total.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Ast received a total of $1,010,334 from 29 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 772 payment records. A record can group multiple payments. These transfers are publicly reported through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their effect on care. A reliable breakdown by payment category is not available in this snapshot. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Ast is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
Medicare Practice Summary — 2023
Medicare Utilization ↗Top procedures by volume
Ranked by number of services performed for Medicare patients. Avg. submitted charge is what the provider billed; avg. Medicare payment is what CMS paid.
| Procedure | Volume | Avg. paid | Avg. submitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
444 | $1 | $50 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting between 20 and 29 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
343 | $74 | $325 |
| Computer-assisted surgery for muscle and bone procedure A surgical procedure involving muscles or bones that utilizes computer technology to assist with planning or execution. |
174 | $136 | $1,785 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 45 and 59 minutes. This code covers the total time spent by the physician or qualified healthcare professional on the date of the encounter. |
144 | $131 | $850 |
| Total knee replacement | 108 | $1,198 | $26,350 |
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) A follow-up office visit for an existing patient lasting between 30 and 39 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
105 | $102 | $550 |
| Ultrasound-guided large joint aspiration or injection This procedure uses ultrasound imaging to guide the removal of fluid from or the injection of medication into a large joint. |
95 | $91 | $1,666 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range. |
60 | $90 | $450 |
| Total hip replacement Surgical procedure to replace the thigh bone and hip joint with artificial components. |
54 | $1,206 | $26,100 |
| Virtual check-in for established patient A brief communication service provided by a qualified healthcare professional to an established patient via technology, such as a virtual check-in. |
41 | $12 | $35 |
| New patient office visit, 15-29 minutes An initial office visit for a new patient lasting 15 to 29 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter meets this duration threshold. |
30 | $60 | $335 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes A phone conversation with a nonphysician healthcare professional lasting between 11 and 20 minutes. |
16 | $19 | $100 |
| Knee joint replacement Surgical procedure to replace a knee joint with an artificial implant. |
14 | $1,074 | $20,000 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 5-10 minutes A brief phone conversation with a healthcare provider lasting between 5 and 10 minutes. |
14 | $11 | $70 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment categories are unavailable while the source breakdown is being rebuilt. Company and year totals do not identify how much belongs to each category.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Geographic Context
0.0 mi
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | NPPES snapshot; verify current record |
| Medicare Enrollment | — Not enrolled | N/A |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not included | N/A |
This provider has data in 3 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Ast is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with 18 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Ast experienced with steroid injection (triamcinolone)?
Does Dr. Ast receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Ast's costs compare to other orthopedic surgeons in Paramus?
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This page combines public CMS records with calculated summaries and explanatory procedure labels. These transformations are not verbatim federal records. Sources: NPPES ↗, Open Payments ↗, Medicare Provider Utilization ↗, and PECOS. Publication is mandated by the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (§6002 ACA, 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7h) and the Freedom of Information Act.
This page is not medical advice, an endorsement, a recommendation, or a quality rating. Data Coverage reflects data completeness — how much federal information exists for this provider — not clinical performance, patient outcomes, or quality of care. Always verify information directly with the provider and consult a licensed clinician before making medical decisions.
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